Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Patea in the Round: Dropping a Back On.

Am_Fet spurns writing reports for work and instead:

Another 3 hours in the top secret Stokes Valley Layout Building Facility has completed the structural elements of the Patea layout ready for the pretty bits.

So here are the photos:


You may remember this is where we left our intrepid heroes last week.  Surprise guest in the shape of young Tims DF.


All clamped up and no place to go.  The MDF backdrop has been screwed into side pillars and joined at the back.  The seam will be hidden by a photographic backdrop.


Cabbage investigates building Shrodingers layout (Is there really a train in there?).  In reality, marking out the proscenium arch for cutting.


Yes Virginia, Kilroy was definitely here.  The Arch glued and clamped on with 2" by 1"'s to hold it straight.  An exceptionally rough mock up of the Cheese Store is in place showing where it will sit and its height (not as tall as I'd thought!)


Viewed from the correct height (eyes level with the bottom of the arch) and the correct distance (600mm correct to at least 7 decimal places)


Viewed from behind showing the backdrop supports made from old layout legs and some excessive glue on the back of the arch.  I'm thinking we will need side wings to hide the ugliness from anyone approaching from an oblique angle.

An overall view showing how the wings make an attempt to hide the holes in the backdrop.

Cabbage and I also played with train lengths.  I had in mind the train I wanted to recreate (Train 528 consisting of Blue 7239, Black 4398 and a collection of 8 UK's, 2 CF's and a ZH) while Cabbage advocated that the train should have just disappeared by the time the loco arrived back on the scene.  By some weird quirk of fate, we found the length of the hidden trackage was an exact match for my chosen consist....score!



So that was it.....apparently its getting unveiled at next weeks modellers night, which could be a laugh.  Plus I'm making plans for a visit to play trains with Drew on the 10th, so if the weather behaves I should be able to get all the photos I need of the Cheese Store and environs.

3 comments:

Southern Rails said...

How does the DF handle those tight curves?

0-4-4-0T said...

Looking good and solid. Should make an excellent standalone layout!

Amateur Fettler said...

No ergs on the track yet Mike, but pushing it by finger didnt throw up too many worries. Keeping wagons coupled might be fun though.

The layout is designed to be a "plonk and run" layout for shows, probably to support Kai Iwi and the VCC Models stand. Cabbage will have it at club night next Tuesday.